From the Editor T Elisabeth Monaghan was born and raised in Denver, joining the VOICE as managing editor in 2019. She is passionate about social justice, and believes that writing and creative expression are some of our most powerful tools in combating homelessness and poverty. DENVERVOICE.ORG MANAGING EDITOR What Would You Do Without the Denver VOICE? HAT’S THE QUESTION for this month’s Ask a Vendor. If you’ve seen any of our recent posts on Facebook or Instagram, you’re aware that we’re in the middle of our Hot 100 fundraising campaign. Our goal is to add 100 new monthly recurring donors this summer. This would help us be more sustainable financially. Whenever we ask our vendors if they’ll let us videotape them talking about what vending the VOICE means to them, most will stop whatever they’re doing to share their thoughts. If you’ve watched the vendor videos, you may have noticed that several of them are seniors. As someone with gray hair, I am well aware of the challenges people aged 50 and over face in the job market. Ageism among hiring managers and recruiters is demoralizing to job-seekers. When someone is not only older, but also BIPOC, finding a job is even more difficult. I am lucky, I have paid into Social Security through years of work, so I will have it when I need it. But many of our vendors will not have income from Social Security because they have been chronically homeless and have not paid into the retirement program. For those vendors, the Denver VOICE is one of the only safety nets they can count on. What would our vendors, young and old, do if the VOICE didn’t exist? That we have to ask the question is unsettling, and the answers don’t make for light reading. Jerry Rosen said that he would look for a job busing tables. He would have to bus a lot of tables to match what he makes from vending the paper. Raelene Johnson said that she has found financial stability and has had her own home for years. Without the VOICE, she would have no income, other than the minimal amount she receives from Social Security. Rea Brown’s poetic response is powerful, as he wrote about being young when he started with the VOICE, and is now much older. Reading the vendors’ responses, one thing became clear: the VOICE isn’t just a job, it’s a lifeline. Which makes this next part harder to swallow: in this economy, so many great organizations are competing for the same limited funding. The prospect of the VOICE going away, however remote, keeps our staff and board of directors awake at night. - Elisabeth Monaghan Managing Editor BOARD OF DIRECTORS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ART DIRECTOR ADMIN. ASSISTANT ARTISTS/PHOTOGRAPHERS CONTRIBUTORS @denverVOICE Elisabeth Monaghan Giles Clasen Andrew Fraieli Madeline Egerton Mariana Ortega Rivera Joshua Abeyta Zakiyyah Brooks Rea Brown Donald Burnes Wayne Easterling Sondra Jeffries Raelene Johnson Mariana Ortega Rivera Jerry Rosen Jennifer Forker, President Donald Burnes, Vice President Edwin Rapp, Treasurer Isabella Colletti, Secretary Ande Sailer Linda Shapley Lisa Schlichtman EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT VENDOR PROGRAM ADVERTISING MAILING ADDRESS VENDOR OFFICE OFFICE HOURS editor@denvervoice.org program@denvervoice.org editor@denvervoice.org PO Box 1931, Denver CO 80201 989 Santa Fe Drive Denver CO 80204 10 a.m. -1 p.m., Wednesdays Since 1996, the Denver VOICE has served individuals experiencing housing or financial instability by providing lowbarrier income opportunities. In the time since our inception, we have put more than 4,600 vendors to work, selling the paper throughout the Denver metro area. By focusing on poverty, housing, social justice, local arts and entertainment, and the human experience behind the headlines, we tell the stories that Denver media often overlook. An award-winning publication, the Denver VOICE is a member of the International Network of Street Papers and the Colorado Press Association, and we adhere to the Society of Professional Journalists’ code of ethics. TO HELP, YOU CAN: GET THE WORD OUT: VOLUNTEER: ADVERTISE: DONATE @ denvervoice.org@denverVOICE Contact program@denvervoice.org Contact ads@denvervoice.org SUBSCRIBE @ denvervoice.org/subscriptions THE COVER: DaVita clinical social worker and living donor Angela Laino stands alongside division lead social worker and kidney recipient Terry Weaver after the TGA CareDx 5K at Auraria Campus in Denver. PHOTO BY MARIANA ORTEGA RIVERA DENVER VOICE AUGUST 2026 3 ABOUT US
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